Publication Date: July 3, 2008
Bulletin ID: DLB-08-20
Summary: Update on Plan to Add Counseling Type Indicator to Entrance Counseling Report/File
Dear Direct Loan Colleague:
As explained in DLB-08-13,
entrance counseling is now required for first-time graduate and professional
student Direct PLUS Loan borrowers. In that bulletin, we provided details about
the online entrance counseling sessions that became available to graduate and
professional student borrowers on July 1, 2008 on the Direct
Loan Servicing Online Web site. We also explained that we were planning
to add an entrance counseling type indicator to the entrance counseling file/report
sent to schools via the Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG). At this time, we
want to provide an update on our progress.
We have identified an interim solution that will add an entrance counseling type
indicator field to the existing file layout for the fixed-length (DECFENOP) entrance
counseling report format. We are currently working with the software provider
community on the timeframe for implementing this solution. As soon as we complete
our work with software providers, we will communicate the details of the solution
in a Direct Loan Bulletin.
In the meantime, a school can determine the type of entrance counseling a borrower
completed by accessing online counseling data from the School Reports section
of the Direct Loan Servicing Online for
Schools Web site. The on-demand entrance counseling reports can be requested
by type as follows:
Stafford Entrance Counseling by Date
Stafford Entrance Counseling by SSN
PLUS Entrance Counseling by Date
PLUS Entrance Counseling by SSN
To access these reports, log in to the Direct
Loan Servicing Online for Schools Web site. Click on "School Reports"
from the top menu bar, click on "Entrance Counseling", and select
one of the PLUS Entrance Counseling links in red. Next, enter the appropriate
search criteria and click on "Run Report". Once the report is run,
a school can export the file or sort the data using the toolbar at the top of
the report.
We appreciate your continued patience and understanding as we finalize this solution.
If you have questions about the information contained in this bulletin, please
contact the School Services Team at the Direct Loan Servicing Center at 888/877-7658.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership in the Direct Loan Program.
Sincerely,
William Leith
Acting General Manager, Application, Operations and Delivery Services
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